Potomac Conservancy staff and fellow Board members were delighted to welcome Rebecca Wodder at her first Board meeting in March 2014.

Rebecca has devoted her career to conservation and comes to us having served for two years as Senior Advisor to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, advancing conservation objectives. Rebecca was nominated by President Obama for the post of Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks in the Department of the Interior in June 2011.

Rebecca served as President and CEO of American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization from 1995-2011, successfully directing strategic, programmatic and financial operations, resulting in an eight-fold increase in revenue, a four-fold growth in staff, and establishment of more than a dozen field offices delivering conservation services to communities across America. From 1981 to 1994, Rebecca served in several different capacities at The Wilderness Society. As Vice President for Organizational Development, she was responsible for organizational development and strategic planning. As Vice President for Membership, Marketing and Development, Rebecca managed all aspects of raising annual operating revenue and capital reserve funds for a 400,000-member national conservation organization. As Director of Alaska Programs, she had responsibility for all conservation campaigns involving Alaska public lands. Wodder helped found EarthShare, a workplace giving campaign for environmental causes. Prior to joining The Wilderness Society, Rebecca was Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (WI) on environmental and energy issues, from 1978-1980, participating in negotiations on water and energy resource development programs and projects, and the Alaska Lands Act.

Rebecca Wodder holds a B.A. in Biology and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Kansas, and a M.S. in Landscape Architecture and a M.S. in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Rebecca has lived in Fairfax, Virginia for more than 25 years.

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